The army therefore halted upon the ridge of
Carberry Hill, both to refresh the soldiers and as a central situation
from which their march could be directed to any point that the motions of
the enemy might render most advisable. While they remained in this
position a messenger arrived in haste to desire Mac-Ivor to come to the
Prince, adding that their advanced post had had a skirmish with some of
the enemy's cavalry, and that the Baron of Bradwardine had sent in a few
prisoners.
Waverley walked forward out of the line to satisfy his curiosity, and
soon observed five or six of the troopers who, covered with dust, had
galloped in to announce that the enemy were in full march westward along
the coast. Passing still a little farther on, he was struck with a groan
which issued from a hovel. He approached the spot, and heard a voice, in
the provincial English of his native county, which endeavoured, though
frequently interrupted by pain, to repeat the Lord's Prayer. The voice of
distress always found a ready answer in our hero's bosom. He entered the
hovel, which seemed to be intended for what is called, in the pastoral
counties of Scotland, a smearing-house; and in its obscurity Edward could
only at first discern a sort of red bundle; for those who had stripped
the wounded man of his arms and part of his clothes had left him the
dragoon-cloak in which he was enveloped.
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